Kim Calls It A Career
克萊絲特宣告退休
http://www.sonyericssonwtatour.com/1/newsroom/stories/?ContentID=1316

ST. PETERSBURG, FL, USA – One of the most popular players to have ever graced the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, Kim Clijsters, announced her retirement on Sunday, May 6, effective immediately. Clijsters' last match was a 76(3) 63 loss to the Ukraine's Julia Vakulenko in the opening round of the J&S Cup in Warsaw, Poland on May 3, 2007.

WTA 女網最受觀迎球員的 CLIJSTERS 於五月6日宣布正式退休。CLIJSTERS 最後一次現身球場乃於波蘭華沙 五月3日 J&S 杯第一輪﹐輸給烏克蘭的 VAKULENKO。

"I'm extremely proud of what I've achieved in my career," Clijsters said in a message to her fans. "If someone told me nine years ago I would have accomplished all that I did, I would have said you were joking. Tennis has been an amazing journey for me all over the world and I'm very happy to have met the people I did. That's always been the most important to me; forget the trophies and material things, friends are truly the most important. I couldn't have done all I did without the support of my family and coaches who worked with me, and to them I'm truly grateful. I am also thankful to all the encouragement from the fans over the years and the media's support in following my career.

CLIJSTERS 對球迷表示 "對於自己在網壇的成就感到驕傲。如果九年前有人跟我說我將會如此大放異彩﹐我肯定會回說他根本在開玩笑。在世界巡迴比賽對我而言是奇妙的人生歷程﹐也很高興認識很多人。這是最重要的﹔撒開獎杯或獎金等東西﹐朋友是最珍貴的。假若沒有家人﹑教練的支持﹐我不肯能有任何作為﹐因此我十分感激。另外﹐對於世界各地的球迷及媒體朋友的關心﹐我也非常感謝。

"I couldn't have asked for a better farewell than I got in Antwerp; trying to play after that was proving more difficult. With injuries that wouldn't go away and life after tennis drawing nearer, it became harder to push myself to compete.

在ANTWERP﹐我得到此生難求的歡送﹔在那役之後﹐要繼續打好似乎更顯困難。揮之不去的傷病及網球生涯接近尾聲﹐我發現越來越難敦促自己去競爭。

"Tennis-wise, winning the US Open and season-ending Championships twice were obvious high points. The matches that I'll never forget were the 1999 US Open match with Serena, when I was 5-3 up in the third. I had such goose bumps it was incredible. I remember playing Amélie in Filderstadt one year, coming from match point down to win, but the tennis we both played that day was amazing.

就網球本身來說﹐拿到美網冠軍及兩度年終冠軍確實是職業生涯的高峰。最難忘的一場比賽是1999年美網對陣小威﹐第三盤當我以5-3領先之時。我全身起疙瘩非常緊張﹐那真的太不可思議了。另外﹐記得有一年於FILDERSTADT 跟MOMO比賽﹐從救了賽末點到反敗為勝﹐那天我們兩的表現都太棒了。

"I hope people won't be too sad now that I've decided to stop playing tennis. A new chapter in my life is about to begin and I hope I'll see everyone somewhere down the line. Remember, whatever you do, do it with a smile on your face."

希望大家不要因為我的退役而難過。我將開啟另一段人生﹐也祈盼有天能再跟大家重遇。請記得﹐不管做什麼﹐都要帶著微笑。

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"Kim Clijsters will be remembered as one of the most accomplished and loved players in the history of women's professional tennis," said Sony Ericsson WTA Tour CEO Larry Scott. "No player has been so unanimously popular with fans and fellow players alike. She has been a once-in-a-generation champion. Kim's contribution to popularizing the sport in her native Belgium, as well as globally, is well-known. Athletic and determined on court, Kim has also been a wonderful ambassador for the sport off it and she will be much missed by her legions of fans, fellow players and everyone connected with the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour."

WTA 主席表示 "CLIJSTERS 在女網史上將會是最有成就且最令人喜愛的一位﹐沒有人像她一樣廣受球迷及同儕歡迎。她是一代霸主﹐對於網球在比利時及全球的發展的貢獻有目共睹。在場上總是充滿運動風範及求勝的意志﹐KIM 一直是女網最佳的推廣大使﹐而球迷跟其他球員勢將會非常想念她的。

Long-time compatriot and rival, world No.1 Justine Henin said, "I have a lot of respect for what she did in her career, as a player and as a person. We've almost grown up together and I think we've helped each other to reach another level because we always pushed each other to play better. I think it's been a good concurrence for us. She's been a great player and it's time for her now to turn the page and do something else in her life and everyone has to respect that. She did a lot for the game, for Belgian tennis for sure, and I think I will have great memories of her that I will keep. It's pretty emotional because we spent a lot of time together when we were younger and we grew up together on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour. It's a very special day today."

長年的同胞及競爭對手﹐世界第一的 HENIN 表示"我對 她在職業裡的成就由衷敬佩﹐不管在場上或場下。我們是一起長大的﹐因為我們互相幫助﹐互相激勵﹐以將自己的球技提昇到另外一個層次﹐我認為那一直是良性的互助。她是位偉大的球員﹐而現在也是她開啟人生另一頁﹐做她想做的事﹐大家應該尊重她的決定。對於網球﹐她的貢獻無庸置疑﹐在比利時也是如此﹐而她的一切將會是我心中美好的回憶。這是令人激動的一刻﹐因為我們在年輕時常常一起切磋﹐在WTA 巡迴賽中一起成長。今天是個很特別的日子。

Close friend Amélie Mauresmo said, "I think she had been thinking about retiring for a while so I'm sure she is really convinced that it's the right decision for her. The Sony Ericsson WTA Tour and all the players are going to miss her a lot, not only because of the player she was, but the joy she brought everywhere. I wish her the very best in her new life. Personally I always enjoyed our rivalry because it brought the best out in both of us."

好友 MOMO 說"她考慮退役已經有好長一段時間了﹐所以我相信她覺得時間已到﹐作出最好的決定。WTA 所有的球員都會很想念她的﹐不只因為她的球員身份﹐還有她帶給大家的歡樂。我對於她的新生活給予最大的祝福。就個人而言﹐我一直很享受兩人的競爭﹐因為總是把兩人的潛力挖掘出來。

Serena Williams reflected, "I wish Kim the best in her life after tennis. She was a great player, a great competitor and an even better person. We had some great matches but I'll miss her more in the locker room than anything else."

小威則表示 "我祝她退役後幸福快樂。她是個很棒的球員﹐好的競爭對象﹐更是個善良可愛的人。我們曾有許多精彩的比賽﹐不過我會更想念私底下在更衣室裡的她"